Kitchen-cabinet.



Nd. 674,906. Patented Mav 28. 190:.

F. J. DELL.

KITCHEN CABINET. (Application filed. Jan. 22, 1900. (No Model.)

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No. 674,906. Patented May 28, IBM. F. J. DELL.

KITCHEN CABINET.

(Application filed Jan. 22, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Shoat 2.

(No Model.)

/Yiif lTE STATES ATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. DELL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

KITCHEN-CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 674,906, dated May 28,1901. Application filed January 22,1900. berial No. 2,301. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. DELL, a citi- Zen of the United States, anda resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Kitchen-Cabinets; and I dodeclare that the following is a description of the inventionsufficiently clear, full, and exact to enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same, attention being calledto the accompanying drawings, with the reference-numerals markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to kitchen-cabinets used for the purpose ofstoring conveniently and for ready access materials and utensils usedfor culinary purposes. The object is to construct such a cabinet with aview of obtaining ready and convenient access to all compartmentsthereof, and, further, to utilize for storage purposes all availableinterior spaces, particularly also such parts of the structure whichotherwise serve for ornamental purposes only. This object is attained bymy invention, as described in the following specification and pointedout in the claims at the end thereof, the same containing also anexplanation of its manner of use, parts, and construction, which latteris also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa front view of my improved kitchen-cabinet. Fig. 2 is a front view ofits lower part and with the doors giving access thereto removed. Fig. 3is a top view of the cabinet with its top cover removed and parts belowbroken away. Fig. 4 is an end view of the same. Fig. 5 is averticalsection through it, taken at a point indicated by 5 in Fig. 3.Fig. 6 is another vertical section taken at a point indicated by 6 inFig. 3. Fig. 7 is a similar View taken through the central compartmentof the cabinet, which constitutes the flour-bin. Fig. 8 is an enlargedsection through the sifter in the lower part of the flour-bin. Fig. 9 isan under side view of the parts shown in the preceding figure, and Fig.10 is a sectional detail view of a part of the sifting device.

The cabinet is preferably of sheet metal,

.and consists of a number of compartments and receptacles, of whichthose in the lower part are open toward the front and substantiallyhorizontally disposed,while those in the upper part are disposedupright. These latter compartments are open at the top, where theyreceive their contents, and they discharge from their lower open ends,access to which latter may be had through a row of compartments opentoward the front. Below these is located the group ofhorizontally-disposed compartments mentioned before. The largest ofthese upright compartments (indicated by 11) is of cylindrical shape,with a diameter equal to the width of the cabinet, of which it occupiesthe center part, filling the space thereat between front wall 12 andrear wall 13. It is intended to be used as a flourbin and open above andbelow to permit filling and discharge. This latter is connected with asifting device interposed in a position where the discharging flour hasto pass through it. The details of construction of this device will yetbe more fully described. The spaces remaining on both sides of theflour-bin, including the angular spaces in the corners between it andfront and rear wall on each side of it, are again subdivided by verticalpartitions into compartments, (indicated by let 14, 15 15, 16 16, and17.) These compartments are all intended for substances in granulated orpowdered or similar conditioussuch as sugar, starch, barley, meal,beans, oats, &c.and they are all open at the top for filling.Compartment 17 is intended for coffee, and its discharge opens into theoperating parts of a coffee-mill operated from the outside by a crank18. The ground coffee is received by a drawer l9, removable from theoutside. Aglass-covered narrow observationopening 21 shows the stage ofthe contents. All the other upright compartments, including theflour-bin, discharge into a number of recesses 22, open toward the frontand having a fioor 23 common to them all. The discharge-outlets of someof these compartments are normally open for such discharge, and parts oftheir contents lie constantly on floor 23, from where they may be takenup by scoops, and which partly-discharged portion serves as a check tofurther discharge and holds back the balance of the contents above.These normally open discharge-outlets are indicated by 14: 14 and 15 15,and the floors 14 14 and 15 15 of these compartments are pitched towardthese discharge-outlets, as shown.

The outlets 16 from compartments 16.16 are closed each by a slide 17,the contents from them being received by holding a scoop under theseopenings before drawing out the slide, so as to prevent intermixing withthe contents of the rear compartments.

The upper part of the front of the cabinet is ornamented with fourcolumns,spaced apart and indicated by 24 24 and 25 25. They are hollowand the first two communicate with and form parts of compartments 16 16,the discharge-openings 16 16 of these latter be- [5 ing located in thelower end of these columns and closed by slides 17, as alreadydescribed. The columns at the corners form independent compartments,open at top and bottom and closed thereat by slides 26 and 27. 14 2o 1114 of these upright compartments are entirely open above-that is, theyare open to the extent of their length and 'width. The others are partlyclosed by a top 28, provided with fill-openings 29, having removablecaps 25 31. The entire upper part as a whole is closed by a top 32,hinged-1y secured at 33. The pin of this hinged connection is formed bya wire rod 34, which may be withdrawn, after which thetop may beentirely taken o off-as, for instance, during shipment. Normally thispin is held in place by bending its end at an angle,as shown at 35,whichbent part is turned into a notch 36 in the upper edge of rear wall 13,thereby being within the cabinet 5 and inaccessible. In the center,above cover 32, I provide a clock, the frame of which is provided withflanges 37, passing under strips 38, bent accordingly, and whereby thisclockframe is removably held in place. This top 40 is held down by ahasp 39, passing over a staple 41, and may be locked by means of apadlock. Above recesses 22 and to each side of the flour-bin there areadditional recesses, opening outwardly and the space for which 5 isobtained by reducing wholly and in part the depth of the uprightcompartments from which said space is taken. Of these recesses the upperones, 42 42, are each closed by a flap 43 and may serve for knives,forks, spoons, 0 and such utensils. The front of the lower ones, 44 44,is closed except for a number of circular openings 45, fitted to andadapted to receive canisters 46,which may contain spices. .To supportthese canisters in a straight po- 5 sition and to hold them so duringthe sliding involves, I provide supporting-strips 47, upon which theirinner parts rest. By reason of the interposition of these recesses thebottom of compartments 14 14 will be caused to assume a shape as shownin Fig. 5, part of it forming also the top of recesses 42 42, andwhereby the depth of this compartment is partly reduced. Compartments 15will not be affected at all, (see Fig.'6,) since these interposedrecesses do not extend back that far. The depth of compartments 16 16will be entirely reduced, and it will also be necessary to insert herean extra or false bottom 48 in order to facilitate a complete dischargeof the contents of these compartments and directthe same toward columns24, through the lower open ends of which the discharge takes place andwhich openings are provided with the slides 17 described.

The space below discharge-floor 23 0011- tains a number of horizontallydisposed recess-shaped compartments, all opening outwardly and of whichthe said dischargefloor formsthe top. This part of the cabinet 1 formsalso the base of it, its width thereat being increased, the excess inwidth projecting forwardly, as shown. Of these recesses one, 49, mayserve for bread and another, 51, for cake, which latter contains also inits upper part a number of pie-shelves 52. Below all these there is along and loW recess 53, which serves to hold a kneading or cutting board54, which being in the lowest part of the cabinet may thus be readilyslid out into position for ready use. At one end there is again a highercompartment 55, containing boxes or drawers 56. The compartments andrecesses in this lower part of the cabinet are closed by ahorizontally-hinged flap 57 and upright doors 58. Flap 57 closes accessto discharge-recesses 22, and doors 58 close access to the compartmentsin the base of the cabinet and below discharge-floor 23. A look 59 onflap 57, and the catch 61 for which is secured to the front edge of thedischargefloor 23, serves to lock it in its closed position. Bypermitting its free edge to lap partly over the upper edges of the doorsthese latter are also looked in their closed positions.

Ventilation for this lower part is provided by openings 62, one in eachend of the cabinet, aud which openings are screened to keep insects out.None of the Vertical partitions in this lower part to be ventilatedextend entirely through the width from rear to front of the cabinet, butterminate some distance before reaching the doors, thereby prevent- 'inginterference with the air circulation.

64 represents handles at each end of the cabinet.

65 is a beam having a hook at its outer end on which a scale may besuspended. It is supported in a bearing in a manner which permits it tobe pushed back and out of the way when not needed. motion which theirinsertion or withdrawal j As has been stated before, the flour-bin jopens also into a recess 22 above dischargeiflOOl' 23 and is provided inits lower part with a suitable sifting device, consisting of a circularframe 66, supporting a perforated diaphragm 67, consisting of the usualwire-cloth and having above it an agitator-frame 68. Both are supportedon a brace 69, reaching 2 across the flour-bin and secured at both itsends to the side thereof.

The agitatorframe has a hub 71, (see Fig. 7,) which forms its pivot,being fitted into an opening in thisv flies and otherinsects.

brace, and extends below the same, the extended part being square andreceiving the end of a shaker-handle 72, which is again held in place bya nut 73 below. The shakerhandle extends outwardly through a slot 74 inthe lower part of the bin,where it becomes accessible for operation. Thehandle part 75 is connected by means of an articulated joint and may beturned up and out of the way, so as not to form an obstructingprojection when not used. Back of slot 74 there is a slide 76, (see Fig.9,) carried by the shaker and curved to fit against the inside of thebin-body. It moves with the shaker, assuming all its positions, so thatwhen at rest it closes slot 74, being large enough for such purpose,thus preventing entrance of It is now understood that the agitator-frame68, shaped as shown, (see Fig. 3,) is positively operated by theshaker-handle, the operation being a rotary reciprocatory one. Thescreen-frame below it is loosely mounted on hub 71 and is given anintermittent rotary but constantly-progressive motion by means of aspring-pawl 77, secured to the under side of the shaker, through anopening in which it engages the teeth of a crown ratchet-wheel 78 aboveand connected to or forming a part of the screenframe. At one stroke ofthe shaker-handle this pawl will slip inoperatively over theratchet-teeth, but engage them positively at the return stroke, thusrotating .and advancing the screen-frame to the extent of this part'ofthe stroke.

To hold the screen in the position to which it has been advanced and toprevent it from being carried back by frictional contact with theagitator-frame, I provide a friction-brake 79, in shape of a piece ofrubber carried on a wire 81 and held in contact with the inside of thebody of the flour-bin. The object of this additional independent motionof the screen is to subject to the action of the agitator any lumps offlour formed and adhering to the screen in such position where theymight escape such action. Above this sifting device I provide an annularfunnelshaped rim 82, secured to the inside of the bin and preventingescape of any unsifted flour through the space between the Sifter andthe walls of the bin.

While sifting, a scoop may be held into recess 22 below the sifter, or avessel placed thereinto may receive the sifted flour.

To facilitate independent renewal of the screen-cloth 67, I solder theedge thereof to an independent annular rim 83, preferably of for suchpurpose by simply loosening nut 73.

Having described my invention, I claim as new 1. In a kitchen-cabinet,the combination of a number of vertically disposed compartmentsdischarging downwardly, a number of horizontally-disposed compartmentsopening outwardly, said two groups of compartments divided by ahorizontally-arranged floor above which all the vertical compartmentsdischarge and which floor forms also the top for the compartments below,a top above the upright compartments, a hinged connection whereby thesame is secured to the upper edge of the rear wall of the cabinet, thehingepin of which is removable to permit detachment of this top, a notchin the upper edge of the rear wall of the cabinet near one end of thehinge-pin and an angular bend in this latter adapted to be turned intothis notch for the purpose of holding this hinge-pin normally inposition to complete the hinged connection of the top.

2. In a kitchen-cabinet, the combination of an upper group ofcompartments vertically disposed,a lower group of compartmentshorizontally disposed, a horizontal partition extending throughout theentire length and width of the cabinet and upon which all the verticalcompartments discharge, outwardlyopen recesses 22 below these latter andabove the horizontal partition before mentioned and through which accessmay be had tothe discharge outlets of the upright compartments, aninterposed floor in these latter whereby their depth is reduced so as toproduce spaces 44 above recesses 22 which spaces are outwardly closed bya part of the front wall of the cabinet, circular openings in this partof the front wall, supporting-strips 47 back of this latter, the highestparts of which are horizontally in line with the lowest part of theopenings mentioned, canisters fitted to these latter and supported whenin place in a horizontal position by resting within said openings andupon strips 47 within.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK J. DELL.

Witnesses:

,C. SPENGEL, ARTHUR KLINE.

